After multiple standing ovations and multiple curtain calls it's clear: Cincinnati is a James Taylor town.

        A huge crowd packed Riverbend Tuesday night to see the king of the '70s soft-rock singer-songwriters. Mr. Taylor took the stage at 7:45, and not too many people left before the end of his third encore, 2 3/4 hours later.

        There was no reason for a James Taylor fan to split early. His voice sounded the same as ever, and he was in a chipper mood, praising the crowd and praising the venue; doing an impression of John Belushi doing Joe Cocker; running off goofy jokes between songs with his awkward, professorial delivery.

        However, the best reasons for a fan to stick it out were the songs and the band.

        Mr. Taylor was especially proud of the latter. Over the course of the two-set show he introduced each member of the large ensemble with that musician's showcase song. There was Russ Kunkel, the ace studio drummer who has been with Mr. Taylor forever. He took his bow during “You've Got a Friend,” not exactly a drummer's showpiece, but a song clearly enhanced by Mr. Kunkel's light touch.

        Saxophonist “Blue” Lou Marini played a nice solo during “Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” and then garnered some cheers of recognition for his role as a band member in the Blues Brothers.

        Backup vocalist Arnold McCuller earned the first standing “O” of the night, for the climactic ending his singing lent to “Shower the People.”

        Percussionist Luis Conte was another crowd favorite. His intro to “Mexico” toward the end of the first set was about as hot any of the night's music, and it marked the first time the crowd became animated.

        And there lies Mr. Taylor's appeal. His fans were obviously enchanted by the singer's passive, sitting-on-a-stool approach during “You've Got a Friend” and “Fire and Rain.” Those tunes were so slow and relaxed, anything by comparison sounded like a rock 'n' roll revival. And that goes for his soft-rock-arranged cover of Buddy Holly's “Everyday,” his plain-sung take on Marvin Gaye's “How Sweet It Is,” and his version of the Drifters' “Up on the Roof,” during which he jumped up and down, punctuating the beat as if his life depended on it.

        Never mind the song rolled along as easy as the river behind the stage. When it's a singer of Mr. Taylor's style, rocking out is relative.

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